Oliver enters rare political waters winning fifth term as sheriff

When you ask folks their opinion of Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver, whether they’re a political supporter or not, the answer usually begins with ‘he’s such a nice guy.’

That nice guy just won a fifth consecutive term as sheriff in Tuesday’s Republican Primary.

Oliver received 2,962 votes (74.6%) to challenger Brian Shackelford’s 1,009 votes (25.4%).

With no Democratic candidate, Tuesday’s Republican Primary was the de facto election. Oliver will begin his new term in November.

Shackelford, a first-time candidate, has served in law enforcement for more than 30 years and is a respected veteran officer.

But he ran into a buzz saw with Oliver, who now enters rare political waters with a fifth term in office.

Oliver’s secret to political success? His answer is pretty simple, and not a secret at all.

“I’ve always tried to be fair to everyone across the board. Tonight was very humbling to see the support across Franklin County pretty much on an equal basis,” Oliver told the FFP Tuesday night.

“I just want to thank the people of this county who supported me and once again put their trust in me,” he added.

Oliver won 25 of 25 precincts Tuesday with the same campaign strategy he’s used since his first race—focusing on his own experience and agenda rather than bringing his opponent into his message.

“I’m not ever going to do that. It’s no way to run a campaign and people just don’t want to hear that,” Oliver said. “I believe you run on your own experience and don’t ever malign your opponent.”

Shackelford said Tuesday evening he has ‘absolutely no regrets’ about his decision to run for sheriff.

“I enjoyed the campaign. It’s something I’ve always thought about and I decided it do it this year and I enjoyed it. No regrets at all,” Shackelford said.

“Obviously I would have liked to win, but it is what it is. I had the opportunity to meet a lot of new people across our county,” he added.

Oliver also believes the men and women of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office deserve much of the credit for Tuesday’s victory.

“We have a good, experienced staff. Most of them have been there the whole time I have. They’re people I can put a lot of trust and faith in to make sure they do what’s right for the people,” Oliver said.